The Portugal midfielder completes a permanent move to Goodison Park after a successful loan spell last season, Everton have signed Andre Gomes from Barcelona for a fee of €25 million (£22m/$28.4m).
The Portugal midfielder has signed a five-year deal at Goodison Park to become their second signing of the summer after Huddersfield’s Jonas Lossl.
Gomes spent last season on loan at the Toffees, making 29 appearances in all competitions.
“I’m really happy to sign the contract with Everton – it wasn’t hard to decide, it was an easy decision and I’m very happy to have made it,” Gomes told Everton’s website.
“I know the club made a massive effort to sign me and I’m very happy and thankful to them. I said during the year that I felt part of a family and that is the most important thing to me.
“Last year was a really good experience for me. I just wanted to feel part of something special and I found it here. It was good for me in that moment and right now, after signing for Everton, it’s even better.”
Gomes joined Barcelona from Valencia in the summer of 2016 for around €35 million (£31.3m/$40m) just weeks after helping Portugal win Euro 2016 in France.
The 25-year-old made 78 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring three goals, winning one La Liga title, two Copa del Reys and one Spanish Super Cup.
However, despite that apparent success, Gomes often struggled to impress in a Barca shirt and was heavily criticised in the media, being voted “worst signing of the season” by readers of Marca at the end of his first campaign at the club.
Then, in March 2018, he was even booed by his own fans as he came on as substitute against Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou.
The following week Gomes revealed that his time at Barca had turned “into a kind of hell” and he was often so “ashamed” of his performances he wouldn’t leave his house.
Five months later he was on the move to Everton on a season-long loan, where he quickly became a firm favourite with the supporters.
Toffees boss Marco Silva revealed at the end of the season that signing Gomes on a permanent deal would be a priority this summer.
Silva says Gomes’ relationship with the fans as well as the club’s ambition helped persuade him to make the move to Merseyside.
“I think the ambition here is not only for me, I think it’s for all the players, the fans and the club. We are all excited for that,” Silva told Everton’s website.
“Andre was a really important player for us last season and I think we were really able to help him, too.
“It was a good decision to bring Andre to the Club and we made it one of our priorities to get him back.
“I am delighted we have been able to do that as he is a quality player and we were so happy with what he gave us.
“He is someone who has shown he can operate to a high level in the Premier League and for our Club, and I know our fans will be fantastic in welcoming him back.
“What Andre learned about the Club, our fans and our vision convinced him that this is where he wants to play his football and I know he shares the big ambitions that we have going forwards.”
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